Anthony Grupposo/US PresswireA billboard featuring Knicks forward Amar'e Stoudemire has been placed near the site of the Nets' future arena.

The Knicks apparently have decided to launch an offensive against the Nets in Brooklyn, in a pre-emptive strike to capture the hearts and imaginations of NBA fans there.

According to The Daily News' Frank Isola, the Knicks have put up a billboard of Amar'e Stoudamire in Brooklyn and by bringing their 7-1 Russian rookie, Timofey Mozgov on a publicity tour of Brighton Beach. Brighton Beach, of course, is heavily Russian, and the idea is to try and get the Russian community there identifying more with Mozgov and the Knicks than with the Nets and their Russian owner, Mikhail Prokhorov.

Asked to respond to the Knicks' efforts in Brooklyn, Nets CEO Brett Yormark said, in a statement: "I'm glad to see the Knicks know where Brooklyn is. Clearly, they know what's coming."